If you’ve been listening to the Awesome Comics Podcast recently, you’ll know that I’ll be running the Nobrow table at Thought Bubble in Leeds over the weekend of 22nd – 23rd September 2018. We’ll be situated at Table 28 in the grand Victoria Hall.

My first full outing for this company coincides with their first television outing of that adventurous kid Hilda, created by Luke Pearson, on Netflix.

The animated show, based on the Eisner-award nominated graphic novels by Luke and is co-produced by Silvergate Media and Mercury Films and features the voice of Game of Thrones’ Bella Ramsey in the title role. The series is now available in 130 countries on the global Netflix platform and Silvergate is currently lining up Free To Air broadcasters for the show.

Anyone who went to the East London Comic and Art Festival last June, or has been to the screening events Flying Eye, Netflix and Nobrow have been running, will know one thousand per cent that this is a great cartoon that will capture you and sweep you along with a big grin.

Created with total love and skill by Luke Pearson the graphic novels the animated series is based on are the story of Hilda and her dog Twig. They live in a country full of supernatural and often dangerous creatures. But Hilda doesn’t mind, she loves to run and scramble and explore her world. There’s seemingly nothing that this young girl cant take in her stride.

You marvel at her enthusiasm and fearless escapades. You also worry for her, will she come out the other side unscathed?

Not only will your kids love this series but you will too. It is a comic (and now an animated series) that has melted the heart of even this grumpy old comic fan. A total solution to all the toxic troubles of the modern world. This is pure and fun and totally extraordinary.

The cartoon magically translates all the hallmarks of the comic onto the screen and is due to launch in the days before Thought Bubble, and I fully expect there to be a dash to our table to get the books. So I thought it might be handy to have a list of what you’ll need…

Here’s the running order.

Hildafolk – now released as Hilda and the Troll

Meet Hilda. She can never sit still for long without setting off on another adventure. Join her in discovering a magical new universe!

While on an expedition to seek out the magical creatures of the mountains around her home, Hilda spots a mountain troll. As she draws it the blue-haired explorer starts to nod off… when she wakes, she finds herself lost in a snowstorm and her troll has totally disappeared. On her way home, Hilda ventures deep into the woods, befriends a lonely wooden man and narrowly avoids getting squashed by a lost giant!

Hilda and the Midnight Giant

Hilda is a little girl with the uncanny ability to befriend even the most peculiar of house guests. But when an army of little creatures bombard her living room with stones and eviction notices, she has to think twice before making the acquaintance of these diminutive creatures. After sunset, even stranger things start happening. Who is this giant who only appears at midnight, and why is Hilda the only person who can see him?

Under duress and in growing fear of losing her beloved family home, Hilda sets off an adventure to secure her birth right and find out who, if he even exists, is the mysterious Midnight Giant…

Hilda and the Bird Parade

Getting used to life in the big city is proving difficult for Hilda. The diminutive explorer is still missing the enchanted valleys and magical friends that surrounded her home in the fjords. But tonight is somehow different; tonight is the night of the mysterious Bird Parade.

Finding herself lost on the streets of Trolberg, Hilda befriends a talking raven. Together they encounter all manner of bizarre creatures from outcast Trolls to ferocious Salt Lions and deadly Rat Kings – maybe the city isn’t so boring after all.

As the pair try to find their way home, it becomes clear that the amnesiac raven has an important mission to attend to… if only he could remember what it was!

Hilda and the Black Hound

The city of Trolberg has yet more secrets to unravel in an adventure where Hilda discovers her world is not quite held together in the way she thought it was…

Hilda is sat in her tent, dwarfed by volumes of the Greater Fjords Wildlife Chronicles with a flashlight and her restless companion, Twig. But Hilda’s not in the Fjords and it isn’t raining. Hilda’s pitched a tent in her room and it’s been days since she’s been out.

In Hilda’s new adventure, she meets the Nisse: a mischievous but charismatic bunch of misfits who occupy a world beside – but, also somehow within – our own and where the rules of physics don’t quite match up. Meanwhile, on the streets of Trolberg, a dark spectre looms…

Hilda and the Stone Forest

The city of Trolberg has some dark secrets to reveal… and our favourite blue-haired adventurer is about to discover them!

In the exciting fifth instalment of the acclaimed Hilda series, Hilda is starting to shirk her responsibilities, seeking days filled with excitement instead of spending time at home… and her mother is getting worried. While trying to stop Hilda from sneaking out into the house spirits’ realm, the pair find themselves flung far away into a mysterious, dark forest – the land of the trolls! Will they be able to work out their differences in time to rescue each other and get back home?

Just because we love Thought Bubble we’ll be selling the graphic novel series at £7 each rather than the usual price of £7.99. But believe me when I say that you need to get in early.

I’ll also be taking pre-orders for the Con attendees so let me know at Tony.awesomecomicspod@gmail.com or find me and DM me on Twitter @Ezohyez

Addicted yet? Then you might want to try this newly released novel that ties into the comic series and the new Netflix cartoon.

Hilda and the Hidden People is written by Stephen Davies using the ideas, tone, fun and characters of the original series and is well worth £9.99. It’s based on Luke Pearson’s award-winning Hildafolk graphic novels, and continues the exploration of the magical and mysterious world of Hilda.

Join the beloved heroine as she encounters her very first troll, negotiates peace with some very persnickety elves, and reunites two lovelorn ancient giants. Fantastic creatures and daring adventures are all just part of another average day for Hilda… but what will she do if she is forced to move to Trolberg city, far away from her beloved valley home?’

• Luke Pearson, NoBrow and Hamish Steele will be at Nottingham Comic Con on 20th October. We believe it’s Luke’s only UK appearance this year.

• Hilda animated series co-producer Silvergate Media will be presenting licensing opportunities for Hilda at Brand Licensing Europe running 9th – 11th October 2018. Hilda will also have a booth and panel presentation at New York Comic Con this year, and a board game is currently in production from Brooklyn Game Lab. Publisher Nobrow has an app release scheduled for 6th October